Tyler Kolek scores 21 points, hits Summer League game-winner as Knicks beat Kings
Published in Basketball
Tyler Kolek called game.
After the New York Knicks erased an early 10-point Sacramento Kings’ lead to take an 11-point lead of their own on Wednesday, and after the Kings wiped New York’s advantage clean on a go-ahead Keon Ellis three to take a two-point lead with seven seconds left in the fourth quarter, the ball — as it’s done so many times to start the 2024 Las Vegas Summer League — found its way into Kolek’s hands.
On the previous Knicks possession, Kolek was in the right place at the right time, coming up with a key offensive rebound and floating the ball in to give New York a 103-102 lead.
After Ellis drained a would-be game-winning three, the Knicks had time for one more play.
So Kolek, the No. 34 pick out of Marquette in the 2024 NBA Draft, received a handoff from Ariel Hukporti, pick No. 58, at the right wing and drove into Kings forward Mason Jones. He took Jones from the top of the key all the way to the rim, then finished through contact and over weak-side shot-blocker Isaac Jones off the glass through the net.
And then came the late whistle.
Kolek would head to the line for a game-winning free throw.
The rookie point guard nailed it, tallying a Summer League career-high 21 points on 6-of-14 shooting to go with eight assists to keep the Kings at bay in a 106-105 victory, New York’s first in Las Vegas.
After scoring seven points in each of his first two Vegas outings, Kolek tripled his output Wednesday afternoon.
And after going the first two games without recording a turnover, Kolek gave it away four times against the Kings.
Turnovers are to be expected of the player who has handled the lion’s share of the Knicks playmaking responsibility in Las Vegas. What was unclear after two disappointing losses was whether or not this team could find a way to victory.
On Kolek’s back, the Vegas Knicks did just that.
Kolek had help.
Rokas Jokubaitis shot a perfect seven-of-seven from the field for 16 points, five assists and two steals in 21 minutes off the bench on Wednesday. He, too, turned the ball over three times, the Knicks tallying 15 giveaways as a team, five fewer than their stinker in Tuesday’s loss to the Nets.
Jokubaitis, however, is a three-level scorer at the guard spot who can create for others and knock down the open three. The Knicks selected the Lithuanian guard with the 34th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, two slots ahead of Miles McBride at pick No. 36. He played in 2021 Summer League then signed a contract with Barcelona, but has now rejoined the Knicks in the summertime after the Lithuanian men’s national basketball team failed to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Jokubaitis is nearing a deal to return to Euroleague club Zalgiris Kaunas, the team he played for before joining Barcelona, according to BasketNews.
He could play his way into a roster spot on the Knicks, either on a two-way deal or securing one of the final open spots on a stacked team in pursuit of a championship.
For what it’s worth, the Knicks just added another guard in veteran scorer Cameron Payne, marking four on the roster with Kolek, Jalen Brunson and McBride, plus another in Donte DiVincenzo, who projects to come off the bench behind Mikal Bridges.
Which means even if the Knicks did add Jokubaitis to the roster, it would be difficult to find minutes for him.
It would be equally as difficult to find minutes for Pacome Dadiet.
Dadiet shot two-of-eight in the opener against the Charlotte Hornets, four-of-13 in the loss to the Nets, then just one-of-four for just two points in the win over the Kings. He has the talent and raw athletic gifts to be a contributor at the NBA level, but at 18 years old, he needs time to develop.
Thankfully, Summer League is for development, and Dadiet doesn’t have to worry about contributing right away: He’ll have the luxury of learning from wings like DiVincenzo, Bridges, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart.
The Knicks, however, will take the wins as they come, even if they’ve come sparingly in Summer League.
Even if they come on the back of pick No. 34, because today’s second-round pick could be the player the Knicks are leaning on for a victory tomorrow.
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